District of Columbia Motorcycle Permit Practice Test 2026: Practice test 2

Practice test 2 of 6 for the District of Columbia Motorcycle Permit Practice Test: 25 more questions with answers and explanations.

Motorcycle
District of Columbia
127 questions
Checked October 10, 2026

Question 1 of 25
In T-CLOCS, what does the L stand for?
- Lights and electrics
- Lane position
- Load
- Levers
Show answer
Answer: A. Lights and electrics
L is Lights and electrics: headlight, taillight, brake light, turn signals, battery and wiring.
Question 2 of 25
How should you cross a pavement seam or tracks that run parallel to your path?
- Edge across slowly at a slight angle
- Move away from them, then cross at an angle of at least 45 degrees
- Cross them at full speed at any angle
- Ride along on top of them
Show answer
Answer: B. Move away from them, then cross at an angle of at least 45 degrees
Edging across a parallel seam can catch your tires. Cross at 45 degrees or more with a quick, sharp turn.
Question 3 of 25
How should you ride over an object in the road that you cannot avoid?
- Brake hard as you hit it
- Cross it as close to 90 degrees as you can, rising slightly off the seat
- Swerve over it at speed
- Cross it at a shallow angle, staying seated
Show answer
Answer: B. Cross it as close to 90 degrees as you can, rising slightly off the seat
Hit it straight on, keep a firm grip and rise slightly off the seat so your knees and elbows absorb the shock.
Question 4 of 25
How should you hold the handgrips when you start out?
- With your right wrist raised high
- Firmly, with your right wrist flat
- With one hand only
- Loosely, with your fingertips
Show answer
Answer: B. Firmly, with your right wrist flat
Starting with your right wrist flat helps keep you from using too much throttle by accident.
Question 5 of 25
Which is one of the most common motorcycle crashes at intersections?
- A car stopping on a railroad crossing
- A rear-end crash at a toll booth
- A car turning left in front of the motorcycle
- A car backing into a parked motorcycle
Show answer
Answer: C. A car turning left in front of the motorcycle
Drivers turning left often fail to see an oncoming motorcycle or misjudge its speed.
Question 6 of 25
Just before your front wheel hits an object, what should you do?
- Brake hard
- Pull in the clutch
- Roll on the throttle slightly to lighten the front end
- Lean back and stiffen your arms
Show answer
Answer: C. Roll on the throttle slightly to lighten the front end
A little throttle just before impact lightens the front wheel so it rides over the object more easily.
Question 7 of 25
Usually, how should you cross railroad tracks that cross your lane?
- Ride straight across within your lane
- Stop on the tracks to look
- Swerve across lanes to hit them at exactly 90 degrees
- Brake hard while crossing
Show answer
Answer: A. Ride straight across within your lane
It is usually safer to ride straight across within your lane than to turn sharply to meet the tracks at 90 degrees.
Question 8 of 25
Besides a knowledge test, what test do most riders pass to earn a motorcycle license?
- A written essay
- A yearly medical exam
- An on-cycle skills test
- A parking test in a car
Show answer
Answer: C. An on-cycle skills test
Most states require a knowledge test and an on-cycle skills test. An approved rider course can often replace the skills test.
Question 9 of 25
In a slow, tight turn, such as a U-turn, how should you lean?
- Put both feet down and walk it around
- Lean your body farther than the motorcycle
- Keep the motorcycle and your body straight up
- Keep your body upright while the motorcycle leans
Show answer
Answer: D. Keep your body upright while the motorcycle leans
For slow, tight turns, lean the motorcycle only and keep your body straight to counterbalance.
Question 10 of 25
What should you do when riding at night?
- Follow the car ahead more closely
- Slow down and increase your following distance
- Turn your headlight off near other cars
- Wear a tinted face shield
Show answer
Answer: B. Slow down and increase your following distance
At night you see less, so slow down, leave more space and use the lights of the car ahead to see the road.
Question 11 of 25
Why must you remember to turn off your turn signal?
- Signals are only for night
- Other drivers ignore signals
- It saves fuel
- Many motorcycle signals do not turn off by themselves
Show answer
Answer: D. Many motorcycle signals do not turn off by themselves
A signal left on can make drivers think you are about to turn.
Question 12 of 25
A car is riding beside you in the next lane. What should you do?
- Speed up or drop back so you are not in its blind spot
- Honk and stay where you are
- Move closer to it
- Stay beside it
Show answer
Answer: A. Speed up or drop back so you are not in its blind spot
Riding next to a car can put you in its blind spot, and it may move into your lane.
Question 13 of 25
A tire goes flat while you are riding. What should you do?
- Hold the grips firmly, ease off the throttle and keep a straight course
- Turn sharply off the road
- Speed up to keep balance
- Brake hard with both brakes
Show answer
Answer: A. Hold the grips firmly, ease off the throttle and keep a straight course
Stay straight and slow down gradually. If you must brake, gently use the brake on the good tire.
Question 14 of 25
Item 6 in the diagram shows boots. How high should riding boots be?
- Below the ankle
- Only knee-high boots are safe
- Any height, if they are leather
- High enough to cover your ankles
Show answer
Answer: D. High enough to cover your ankles
Sturdy boots that cover the ankles protect them and give support. Soles should be hard and slip-resistant.
Question 15 of 25
How does alcohol affect a rider?
- It slows reactions and weakens judgment, even in small amounts
- It has no effect if you eat first
- It only matters after five drinks
- It improves focus
Show answer
Answer: A. It slows reactions and weakens judgment, even in small amounts
Riding takes balance and quick decisions. Alcohol harms both, so the safest choice is not to drink and ride.
Question 16 of 25
Which surfaces can be very slippery for a motorcycle?
- Dry concrete in the sun
- Painted lines, steel plates and manhole covers, especially when wet
- Dry, rough asphalt
- Clean, dry pavement
Show answer
Answer: B. Painted lines, steel plates and manhole covers, especially when wet
Paint and metal give much less traction than pavement, especially when wet.
Question 17 of 25
Which drinks hold about the same amount of alcohol?
- A 12-ounce beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, and a mixed drink with one shot of liquor
- A beer holds much less than a shot of liquor
- A beer holds twice as much as a glass of wine
- A glass of wine holds no alcohol
Show answer
Answer: A. A 12-ounce beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, and a mixed drink with one shot of liquor
A can of beer, a glass of wine and one shot of liquor each hold about the same amount of alcohol.
Question 18 of 25
How should you ride across a metal bridge grating?
- Zigzag to keep traction
- Brake hard on the grating
- Stop and walk the motorcycle across
- Relax, keep a steady speed and ride straight across
Show answer
Answer: D. Relax, keep a steady speed and ride straight across
The grating may make the motorcycle feel unsteady, but riding straight at a steady speed is safe.
Question 19 of 25
In the diagram, marker 3 shows the passenger's hands. What should a passenger hold on to?
- The rear fender
- The rider's shoulders
- Nothing; hands in the lap
- The rider's waist or hips, or the passenger handholds
Show answer
Answer: D. The rider's waist or hips, or the passenger handholds
Passengers should hold firmly to the rider's waist, hips or belt, or to the passenger handholds.
Question 20 of 25
A car is passing you from behind. Where in your lane should you ride?
- On the shoulder
- On the lane line
- Close to the passing car
- In the center portion of your lane
Show answer
Answer: D. In the center portion of your lane
The center keeps you away from the passing car, its mirrors, things thrown from windows and blasts of wind.
Question 21 of 25
You are riding past a row of parked cars. Where in your lane should you ride?
- On the shoulder
- Toward the left side of your lane
- On the center line
- Close to the parked cars
Show answer
Answer: B. Toward the left side of your lane
Staying left keeps you away from doors opening and people stepping out between cars.
Question 22 of 25
When should you leave three seconds or more behind the vehicle ahead?
- Only in parking lots
- Never; two seconds is always enough
- On slippery roads, at night, in heavy traffic, or when you can't see past the vehicle ahead
- Only on sunny days
Show answer
Answer: C. On slippery roads, at night, in heavy traffic, or when you can't see past the vehicle ahead
Increase your following distance when you need more time to see hazards or to stop.
Question 23 of 25
A friend has been drinking and wants to ride home. What can you do?
- Give them coffee and let them go
- Ride behind them to watch
- Arrange a safe ride, or keep them there until they are sober
- Let them ride slowly
Show answer
Answer: C. Arrange a safe ride, or keep them there until they are sober
Step in: arrange a ride, slow their drinking, or keep them from riding. Get other friends to help.
Question 24 of 25
Where should you carry cargo on a motorcycle?
- Behind the rear axle
- Low and forward, over or in front of the rear axle
- High on the passenger seat
- Hanging from the handlebars
Show answer
Answer: B. Low and forward, over or in front of the rear axle
Keeping weight low and forward helps handling. Weight high or far back can make the motorcycle unstable.
Question 25 of 25
Where is the front brake lever?
- In front of the left handgrip
- At your left foot
- In front of the right handgrip
- At your right foot
Show answer
Answer: C. In front of the right handgrip
The front brake lever is on the right side of the handlebars.

Related tests